The Death of God: An Analysis of the Existential Solutions to the Problem of Nihilism

The problem of nihilism has plagued individuals, philosophers, and wider society throughout history. Nihilism is most understood as the process in which our beliefs and values become meaningless or devoid of value. The rise of Nihilism can be traced to the nineteenth century when scientific advancement and societal shifts away from religion caused people to become sceptical of the religious paradigm which grounded their society. Friedrich Nietzsche most famously alerted the world to the problem of Nihilism stating that 'God is Dead'. Nietzsche ignited and revolutionised the study of Nihilism, influencing future discourse on nihilism. However, Nietzsche's solutions to the problem of nihilism fall short of providing a valuable way to combat these nihilistic tendencies. Nietzsche works influenced many of the existential and existentialist works in the twentieth century. One of these existentialist writers is Jean-Paul Sartre, who clearly defined existentialism, stating that 'existence precedes essence'. Satrean existentialism provides an answer to the nihilistic problem by giving the reader a positive outlook on life by expressing their 'radical freedom'. Unlike Nietzsche, Sartre advocates for personal responsibility and freedom. Like Nietzsche, Albert Camus did not consider himself an existentialist, but his works are existential in nature, and deal with many similar themes to Sartre. Camus focuses on the absurdity of life and stresses the importance of living in the physical world. In his famous works, 'The Myth of Sisyphus' and 'The Stranger' Camus presents his characters as Absurd heroes. Unlike Sartre, Camus focuses on one's absurd existence and suggests that trying to give it meaning is akin to 'philosophical suicide'. This dissertation argues that taking an existential position towards the problem of nihilism proves a valuable way to navigate the world and avoid the threats of nihilism presented by Nietzsche.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

ma

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

masters

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Tackley, Reece

• BD Athroniaeth Ddamcaniaethol

Dc Identifier Grantnumber

UWTSD

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.uwtsd.ac.uk:3321